Bell Tower

From WikiBPSC

Staff Member rings bell 1996

The camp bell is a vital communication tool and a major part of daily life during summer camp. The tower was built in the spring of 1952 to accept the retired fire bell from Oconto City Hall. No longer needed to call firefighters, the bell was quickly put into service at Bear Paw. Cast in 1891 in Milwaukee, the bronze bell is about 3.5 feet in diameter and weighs 1,380 pounds.

Since its installation in 1952, the bell has been used as the primary form of communication in camp. Sounding daily wake-up during the camping season, the bell announces meals, calls assembly for special events and is designated to toll in emergencies.

[edit] Oconto's Fire Bell Is Back In Service at Bear Paw Camp

The following is a reprint of an undated article first published in the Green Bay Press-Gazette in 1952

OCONTO, Wis - Oconto's faithful old fire bell, "on pasture" since the fire department moved into its new quarters in January, has left here to go to work again. The bell went to Bear Paw, Boy Scout camp near Mountain.

Centrally located at the camp, directly in front of the dining hall, the grand old bell will lead and active life once more - during the summer months especially.

It will arouse the campers each morning, call them for meals, announce times for all special events throughout the day, put the boys to bed and then when it's time for lights out, tell them that, too. Of course, if a fire should be discovered, the old bell would get right back in the harness and signal for help to douse the blaze with all its might.

Iron Wheel Broken

A stand was in readiness at Bear Paw for two to three weeks while an opportune moment to get the bell down from its perch in the belfry of the old engine house was awaited. A crane of the Belongia Construction company was made available. The big castiron (sp) wheel for ringing the bell was broken as it was dragged through the belfry opening. One of the castiron (sp) standards in which the bell was cradled fell to the sidewalk and was shattered. The other fell off in the belfry.

Data cast on the surface of the big bronze bell tells that it was made by the Centennial Bell Foundry in Milwaukee in 1891. THe bell, evidently cast of bronze, was in excellent condition, while the castiron (sp) auxillary parts clearly showed the effects of age. It is about 3-1/2 feet across, about three feet high and weighs 1,380 pounds.

Served as Curfew

At Bear Paw a plaque will proclaim the history of the bell and each new group that arrives at camp will be told about its 61-year stint in Oconto when it signaled the location of each fire and called the volunteers to help. The will be told, too, of how it served as a curfew to warn children "under 16" that the hour was 8:30 and time they were in their homes or that "Marshal Smith" (L. G. Smith, police chief back in the curfew days) would see that they were.

They also will be told how the bell, if it rang three times in the morning, announced that it was 8 o'clock. Three times in the afternoon meant that it was 5 o'clock.